Thermostatic valve-controlling mechanism.



N. WISE. THERMOSTATIQ VALVE CONTROLLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB.9, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET l INVBNTOR WISE. THBRMOSTATIG VALVE GNTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.9, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1911' 3 SHEBTSSHBBT 2.

mvsu-ron N. WISE.

THERMOSTATIG VALVE CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912 s SHEETS-$11331 sl WITNESSES WaM INVENTOR NATHAN WISE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE-CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

lowing is a specification.

The invention relates to thermostatic valve controlling mechanism and more particulary to mechanism of this character for use in connection with what are known as storage water heaters. The primary objects of the invent on are; the provision of an improved quici. acting mechanism thermostatically controlled, of very direct, positive and reliable action; the provision of a cchanism (-f the character specified having means wherebythe violence of the ignition explosion is reduced to a minimum; the provision of improved safety means for secur- "ing. the closing of the valve in case the quick acting mechanism for controlling the valve is accidentally prevented from operating; and the provision of means whereby the range of operation of the valve may be readily and accurately adjusted. Certain emlmdiinents of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general view showing the application of the apparatus to a storage water heater, Fig. 2 IS a side elevation of the valve operatingmechanism, with the gas valve in section, Fig. 3 is a section on the line llI- III of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of adjusting means, Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of valve operatin r mechanism with the gas valve in section, ig. (J is a side elevation of a' part of the apparatus of Fig. 5, Fig. 7

Specification or Letters Eatent.

Application filed February 9, 1911.

of which the folillustrates in plan view a modified detail of.

(,Ji'lSil'llCfiOIl, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of one of the catches or deteiits cm )loyed in the device as shown in Fig. 5.

eferring to the general arrangement as shown in Big. 1, A is the reservoir or tank of a storage system, which tank is provided with the cold water inlet pipe B connected to the main, and the outlet pipe G for hot water; D is a coil heater provided with the battery of burners E, and connected with i'hercservoir A by means of the pipes 1* and (l; H is the gas pipe provided with the main branch I, leading to the battery of burners .E and with the branch J leading to the pilot light It L is the gas valve for atented June 25, 1912. fierlrl in. 607,668.

controlling the flow of fuel through the pipe I; and M is a quick acting mechanism for controlling the gas valve L, such quick acting mechanism being operated by the thermostat N lying in the casing 0 outside of the reservoir A, but. connected to such reservoir by means of the circulation pipes P and Q.

The character of the thermostatic controlling means will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The casing N is filled with a liquid such as other having a high cocflicience of expansion, and this casing is connected with the corrugated expansion member 1 by means of a pipe 2. A rise of temperature in the casing N causes the liquid therein to expand, and the forcing of this liquid into the corrugated member 1 tends to carry the front end of such member forward, the rear end of the iiiemher 1 being supported upon the flange 3 of the suporting framework 4. On a lowering of the temperature in the casing N a reversed movement of the front end of the member 1 occurs, such movement:

being assisted by the spring 5, which bears upon the bracket (3 carried by the frame 4.

The valve casing L is provided with the controlling valve 7 inoimtcd upon a stem 8, which stem has a shoulder 9, and a portion 10 of reduced diameter extending from the shoulder 9 to the rear end of the stem. Mounted slidably upon this reduced. portion l() of the stem is a sleeve ll,-which sleeve is provided with the disks l2 and 13 integral with the sleeve, the said sleeve being held in the position shown with the disk 12 against the shoulder S) by means of the relatively light spring 14. interposed between the disk 13 and the washer 15 carried by the reduced portion 10 of the valve stem. Mounted loosely and slidahly upon the sleeve 11 is the cross head 16, which cross head is secured at its ends to the guideframe 17, such frame-being slidably supported for longitudinal movement upon a pair of upstanding.brackets 18 and 19 car- "ried by the frame it. The rear end of this frame 17 is provided with the forwardly projecting member 20 which passes freely through the upstanding flange of the bracket 6. The rear end of this frame 17 is engaged by the front face of the corrugated Inenioci' 1, and from the foregoing description it will be seen that this frame with its cross head lo follows the movement of the frontend of the member 1, so that the movement of the cross head 17 is governed by the temperature of the liquid inthe thermostat casing N.

Mounted adjacent the sleeve 11 is the piv oted detent or catch 21 normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2 by means of the leaf spring 22 bearing against the back of the detent. Intermediate the cross head 16 and the disk 12 is a spring 23, which spring 23 is placed under compression as the cross head 16 moves to the left by reason of the fact that the disk 12 which supports the left hand end of. the spring is held against movement to the left by the detent 21. Until the detent 21 is released therefore there will be no movementof the gas valve 7, and after the'detent 21 is released, the spring 23 will expand and snap the valve shut suddenly. The release of the detent 21- at the proper time is secured by means of the dog 24; lying beneath the sleeve 11 and having one end lying in the path of movement of a h1g2?) (see Fig. upon the cross head 16, and the other end 26 upturned and adapted to bear against the front side of the detent- 21. then the cross head 16 moves sufficiently to the left therefore to engage the end of the dog 21, the other end of the dog will press the detent 21 out-ward and release the disk 12, permitting the valve 7 to snap shut. The dog 2-1 is pivotally mounted upon the end of the indicator arm 27 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and such arm' 27 is in turn pivot-ally mounted upon the frame 4 by means of the screw 28.

It will be seen that the position of the dog 24 may be shifted bodily by the movement of the indicator arm 27, and that. the time at which the release of the detent 21 occurs will be dependent upon the'position of the indicator arm. The dog 24 is normally held in the position indicated by means of the leaf spring 29'. In case the stem 8 should stick in its stutting box after the release of the detent 21, or in case the mechanism should fail to operate to release the de tent 21 at the proper time, the valve 7 Will still be closed, and an over heating of the water in the reservoir avoided. This is accomplished by 'theengagement of the member 20 with the Washer 15 carried by the rear-end of the stem 8, the distance'between the member 20 and the washer 15 being such that these parts will not come into engagement unless the quick acting portion of the mechanism fails to work and the temperature of the water rises above the point for which the quick actuating mechanism is set. In order to prevent injury to the valve 7 due to too great a movement of the member 20 under the conditions as just described, the front end 30 of the valve stem 8 is mounted to slide freely through the valve disk the spring 31 being interposed between the disk and the washer 32 carried by the valve stem, and the opening through the valve being closed by means of the screw cap The means whereby the quick snap opening of the valve is secured when the temperature of the water in the reservoir drops below a predetermined point is substantially the same as that just described for securing the quick closing of the valve, the primary diil'erence being that the detent 34. is provided with two holding faces 35 and 36 instead of a. single holding face as is the case with the detent. 21, such holding surfaces being provided upon this detent 31 in order to secure a two stage opening of the valve 7 in the manner and for the purpose to be hereinafter described. The detent 34 is normally held forward by means of a leaf spring 37, and is actuated by a dog 38 correspculing to the dog 24 heretofore described, such dog 38 being pivotally mounted upon the end of an indicator arm 39. A spring 40 is provided iipont'he sleeve 11, such spring being interposed between the cross head 16 and the disk 13 and corresponding to the spring 23 uponthe other side of such cross head. ith the parts as indicated in Fig. 2 the temperature of the water in the casing O has 'just dropped to 90 degrees, and the cross head 16 has moved sufficiently to the right to engage the end of the dog 38 with the result that the other end of the .dog 38 has engaged the detent 3 t and-moved it to the positionshown, thus .1, e'rmitting the valve stem 8 to move suddenly to the position indicated, and permitting a full flow of gas past the valve7. The two faces 35 an'd36 upon the detent 34 are provided in order that the valve 7 may not arrive at its complete full open position at one movement. It has been found that where the gas valve is moved'in one movement to full open position too great a quantity of gas accumulates in andabout the burners E before ignition from the pilot K occurs, so that upon such ignition there is an explosion of more or less violence, which explosion is not only detrimental to. the apparatus but is undesirable,.because of the noise incident to the repeated and periodic explosions, .and the factthat users of the apparatus become apprehensive as to its safety. It has been-found that these explosions may be largelyeliminated by first permitting the valve to open slightly and then after momentarilyholding the. valve in this position of partial opening, giving it its final movement to full open position. When the valve 7 is in full closed position, the surface 35 on the'detent 34 engages the face of the disk. The preliminary-movement of the detent by the dog 38 causes the detent to move to the rear sutiiciently to allow the disk 13 to move so' that it engages the surface 36 giving a partial opening of the valve 7. A

further movement of the dog completely disengages the detent. from the disk, permit ting a. full opening of the valve.

Starting with the parts at the position indicated in Fig. 2, and with the water in the reservoir at a temperature of about; 90 degrees, the operation is as follows. The valve 7 is in full open position so that there is a free flow of gas to the battery of burners, E. and the water in the reservoir is rapidly heated. is such heating continues, the liquid in the casing N expands, causing the member 1 to expand and carry the frame 17 and cross head 16 to the left. This movement, of the cross head 16 permits the dog" 38 to move back to its normal position, the

detent fit moving forward to a position in which it is ready to engage the disk 13. The movement of the cross head 16 to the left upon the sleeve 1.1. also produces a compression of the spring 23, which compression, continues until the cross head engages the end of the dog 24-. at which time the water in the reservoir has reached a temperature of nearly 1-H) degrees. A "further n'iovement ot the cross head to the left causes the dog); 24 to disengage the detent 2i 'trom the disk 12, so that the expansion ol' the spring 2") causes the valve 7 to snap shut entirely cutting oil the supply of v the hot water in, the reservoir is withdrawn therefrom the reverse action occurs, and the front end oi the corrugated member 1 moves to the right. the frame 17 and the ross head it; being carried therewith hy the spring; .3. The detent 3i engages the lace of the dish 13 and prevents its moven'ient to the ripjut. after which the s} ring; is gradually compressed until the water in the resciw'oir reaches the temperature for wl Uh the thermostat is set, at which time the enfrom the disk 13, and then iully disengages it. permitting; the valve to move to open pofition. which movement completes the cycle oi operation.

In Fig. -'t a mmlitird awangemcnt of indicat r arms. dogs and dci'cnts is shown. in this arrangement the pivot points 4-0 and 41 of the indicator arms &2 and 455 are coincident with that. of the detents -H and 4+). and. the d gs lti and 47 are mirried intermediate the pivot points 4-!) and 4-1, and the cnds ot' the indicz'itor arms and lit. in this arrangcmez'it as in the arrangrement o't' fig. :5. the nzm'einent oi the indicator arms shifts oe diiigrs hodily. so that the points at which the alve is operated may he v ried to suit ons. in this (utm'struction in the construction of Fig. .2, the ends of each ot the indicator arms are in two parts, the parts t8 lyii'r hchind the indicator segment and the pointers 49 to the front of such indiis. its the water in the reservoir cools or as;

asement oi the cross head ill with the dog, 0 that partmllv disengages the detent ill.

cator, a screw SOheing provided for clamping the parts and t9 tightly against the indicator segment to prevent accidental movement of the arm. In this connection it will he seen that any moven'ient which is given to the dogs is greatly magnified at the upper ends of the indicating arms, so that a very accurate adjustment can without ditliculty he made hy anyone.

in Figs. 1' and 6 a modified form of up a; paratus is shown, the principle of such apparatus and general method of opera tion being precisely the same however as that oi the apparatus shown in Fig. 2. The principal d tinction in the apparatus over that ol Fig. :2 resides in the fact that the dogs 2 and 38 of the apparatus of Fig. 2 are done away with, and the detents are actuated directly from the cross heads. Briefly stated. the principal parts as shown in Figs. g 5 and it are as follows. L is the gas valve, t the Frame upon which the apparatus is mounted, T is the gas valve provided with the stem 8' to which is secured the sleeve ll. provided with the disks 12 and '13, 1 is the corrugated member. 17 is the frame carrying at its front end the cross head .1 ti and noru'ially held to the rear by means of the spring 5 hearing at. its front end against the bracket 6. .23 and ill are the compression springs mounted upon the sleeve 11, and 3t and '34 are the detents tor cooperating with the disks 12 and 13". The dogs 21 and 3% are held normally forward by means oi the leaf springs 22 and 37, and are provided at their rear ends with the adjusting screws 51. These screws are provided at their ends with the halls 52 held in position in the ends of the members 51 by turning;' in slightly the edges 53 ot the sockets in. which. thev are mounted. Slots 34 are provided through the heads of the screws for cn gaeement with a tool when it is desired to adjust the screws. 'lhc acliuzr tion oi? the dctcnts is secured directly by the '110 engagement of the cross heads 16 with the ends of the screws 51.

Fig. 7 illustrates the application of a means to the member 22' whereby it variable a tuation o't' valve stem H trom such mcmher may he secured. This is secured by means of the cap 535 which is threaded upon the end of the memher 3.2.

.ilany other embodiments ol the hroad invention involved ohviously might be made. "the primary feature of the invention is the provision of the means whereby the valve is held against movement until the yield ingg means employ-rd is energized by the thermostatic element. which operates to release the valve at a girmlctcrmincd time. While I preter to use as the yielding means coil springs which are 'placcd under compression it is obvious that: other style: ol springs placed under stress in other ways than com- 139 pression might be employed, or some other character of thermostat shown, or to the particular use shown.

Having tlms described my invention and illustrated its use. \vhat'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following 1. In combination, a thermostatic element, a valve, a detent for holding the alve in open position. yielding means operated by the thermostatic element and tending to close the valve. means operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is moved to release the valve after the yielding means has been energized by the thermostatic element, a second detent for holding the valve in closed position. yield-' ing means operated by the. thermostatic element and tending to'open the valve. and means operated by the movement of the thermostatic element wherebv such second detent is moved to release the valve, after the last'nwntioued vielding m ans has been energized by the thermostatic element.

2. In combination. a thermostatic element,

a valve, a detentfor holding the valve in open position. yielding means operated by the hermostatjc element and. tending to close the valve. means operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is moved to release the valve after the yielding means has been energized by the therumstatic element. a second detent for holding the valve. in closed position. yielding meansfoperated by the thermostatic element and tending to open the,val\-'e, means operated by the movement of the. thermostatic element whereby such second detent is moved to release. the valve. after the last mentioned yielding means has been energized by the thermostaticclement. and yield- I ing means for normally moving the detents to position to engage the valve when it reaches its extreme positions.

3. In combination, a valve, a thermostatic elcmcnhand quick operating mechanism intermedlate the valv and thermostatic ele- 'mentcomprising means for holding the valve in closed position during a predeter mined movement of the thermostatic element, and opening means acting in conjunc-- tion with the holding means whereby the valve is first moved suddenly to partially open position, stopped, and then moved suddely again to fuller open position.

4.- In combination, a valve, :1 thermostatic element, and quick operating mechanism intermediate the valve. and thermostatic element comprising yielding opening means for the valve means for holding the valve in closed position during a predetermined actuated to permit a two stage quick open-' 'ing of the valve.

In combination, a thermostatic ele ment. a valve, a detent provided with two holding surfaces for maintaining the valve in closed position. yielding means operated by the thermostatic element and tending to open the valve, and means operated by the,

thermostatic element whereby thedetent is moved to release the valve after yielding means has been energized by the thermostatic element, the said detentbeing first moved to release the valve from one holding surface permitting a partial opening of the valve and then being moved to release the valve from the second holding surface to permit a fuller opening of the valve.

(3. In combination, a thermostatic 'element. a valve. a detent for holding the valve in open position, yielding means operated by-the' thermostatic element and tending to close the valve. :1 member operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is moved to release the valve after the yielding means has been en.- ergized by the thermostatic element, and means whereby the position of the said member may be adjusted to vary the time at which the said release occurs.

T. In combination. a thermostatic element. a valve. a detent for holding thevalve in open position, yielding means ope 'ated by the thermostatic element and tending to close the 'alve. a member operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is moved to release t-hesvalve after the yielt'ling means has been energized by the thcrnmstatic element, aml an indicator movably supporting the said member whereby the position of the said membcrmay be adjusted to vary the time at which the said release occurs.

8. In combination, a thermostatic element. a valve. a detent' for holding the valve in closed position. yielding means operated 'by the thermostatic element. and tending to open the *valve. a member operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is .moved to release the alve after the yielding means has been energized by the thermostatic element, and meanswhereby the position of the said member may be adjusted to vary the time at which the said release occurs.

9. In combination, a thermostatic element, a valve, a detent for holding the valve in closed position, yielding meansoperated by the thermostatic element and tending'to open the valve, :1 member operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is moved to release the valve after the yielding means has been energi'zed by the thermostatic element, and an indicator whereby the position of the said member may be adjusted to vary the time at which the said release occurs.

10. In combination, a thermostatic element, a valve, a detent for holding the valve in open position, yielding means operated by the thermostatic element and tending to close the valve, means operated by the movement of the thermostatic element whereby the detent is moved to release the valve after the yielding means has been energized by the thermostatic element, and safety means actuated by the thermostatic element for directly moving the valve to closed position in case of failure of the yielding means to close-the valve. p

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

. NATHAN WISE.

. Witnesses:

N. GoRnoN, JOHN W. VALLER. 

